Washing-machine wbingeb



H. D. ELSE WASHING momma WR-INGER Aug. 14, 1922;

Filed Jude 1?, 1924 mvzmon Harry D. E/se BYv ATTQRNEY wljsrsz y MW Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

-HARRY D. ELSE, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

, WASHING-MACHINE WRINGEB.

-Application filed June 17,

My invention relates to wringers and has special relation to mechanisms for releasing the roll pressure in wringers.

An object of my invention is to provide a releasable leaf-spring device for maintaining pressure on rolls, having a great range of flexibility but occupying a minimum amount of space. v

Another object of my invention ]S-t provide a leaf spring device for maintaining pressure on wringer rolls which obviates bending movements in the wringer frame.

A still further object of my invention 18 to provide a releasable leaf-spring device for maintaining pressure on rolls which is readily removable from the wringer frame for cleaning. '7

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device having the aforementioned characteristics and which, furthermore, 15 simple in construction and operatlon and easy to manufacture.

Reference may be had to the drawings in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a wringer in which my invention is embodied.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken on the line II II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of a modified form of retaining means,and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line IVIV of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawing 1 deslgnates a wringer frame which is provided with end guideways 19. As shown, a pair of wrlnger rolls 3 and 4 are removably mounted in the guideways 19. The rolls may be mounted in a number of ways but in this particular construction bearing blocks 5 and 20, adapted to be removably mounted in the guide- Ways 19, are provided for retaining the rolls in their proper relative positions. The bearspring 7 is bowed upwardly intermediately of its ends and the lower spring 6 is bowed downwardly intermediately of its ends.

Between the bowed portions of the springs 1924. Serial No. 720,537.

is an elongated cam 10 which is rigid with a shaft 11 and hasflattened ends for engagement with the springs 6 and 7. The ends of shaft 11 are received in vertical slots 12 which communicate with longitudinal slots 13 in the wringer frame sides 2. The vertical and longitudinal slots together form what are substantially T-shaped slots. One end of the shaft 11 projects outwardly and has a handle .14 secured thereto engageable with stops 15 on the adjacent frame side 2.

In the normal operation of the device, the parts occupy the positiongihown in full lines in Fig. 1. The introduction of articles between the rolls 3 and 4 causes upward movement of the ends of the lower spring 6 which may move as far as the corresponding ends of the upper spring 7. The combination of the two leaf springs substantially doubles the range of flexibility obtained in releasable leaf-spring constructions of the prior art, yet occupies substantially no more room than the ordinary leaf spring requires.

To release the roll pressure, the handle 14 is struck by the hand and moved about the axis of shaft 11 in either of two directions.

Slight movement of the handle 14 permits the leaf springs 6 and 7 to move toward each other at their central portions, and a substantially instantaneous releasing action occurs. The downward movement of the handle 14 is limited by the stops 15. The released position is illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

To again apply pressure to the rolls 3 and 4, the handle 14 is moved upwardly and the cam 10 causes the central portions of the springs 6 and 7 to move away from each other to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1. The cam 10 is retained in this position by the engagement of the flattened ends 0 the cam 10 with the springs 6 and 7 and acts as a spacer or separator between the springs.

If it is desired to clean parts, the bolts 8 may be removed in an obvious manner, permitting the upper springs 7 to be lifted out. The cam 10 may be brought into alinement with the longitudinal slots 13 and may be slid outwardly through one of them. Then the lower spring 6 and the bearing blocks may be removed. The manner of assembly of parts is obvious.

In the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a retaining means for each end of the upper leaf spring 16 is provided. This consists of a U-shaped strap 17 pivoted on the frame sides 18 and movable into an upper position, shown in full lines, where it operates to prevent upward movement of the end of the upper leaf spring 16. The strap 17 may readily be moved to a lower position, shown in dotted lines, to permit the removal of the upper leaf spring 16 and, in fact, the lower leaf spring and the rolls (not shown in this figure).

My invention is not limited to the details of construction and operation of the embodiments disclosed which may be extensively modified without departing from its spirit. For instance, the cam 10 may have any one of various shapes. Again, the wringer may be of any type, such as swinging, folding, etc. A substantial range of equivalents is contemplated within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A wringer cd'mprising, in combination, a frame, a plurality of rolls movably disposed in the frame, a pair of spring plates interposed between the frame and the rolls, and means free from and pivotally disposed between the spring plates and mounted on the frame for expanding them to apply pressure to the rolls. v

2. A wringer comprising, in combination, a frame, guideways formed in the frame, wringer rolls removably mounted in the guideways, bearing blocks for one of said wringer rolls, an upper leaf spring having 3. A wringer comprising, in combination, V

a frame, guideways formed in the frame, wringer rolls removably mounted in the guideways, bearing blocks for one of said wringer rolls, a leaf spring extending parallel to the wringer rolls and having itsends operatively engaging the frame, asecond leafspring extending parallel to the wringer rolls and having its ends operatively engaging the bearing blocks, and means pivotally carried by the frame, located between the leaf springs and movable in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the axes of the wringer rolls for causing said leaf springs to compress said rolls, said means being operable to effect an instantaneous release of the pressure on the rolls.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 6th day of June 1924.

HARRY D. nnsn 

